This bill (HB371), referred to as “Andy’s Law,” was named after US Army Private Andy Long, killed in a 2009 recruiting office shooting in Arkansas.  The absolute genius of this bill is it allows those harmed by a terrorist attack to seek financial compensation from those who perpetrate, solicit, aid or abet, conspire to commit, or lend material support to an act of terror.  While the threat of losing $10,000 or more may not stop a suicide bomber, it sure will make those who might help the bomber decide against doing so in our state.  That’s the genius, it cuts off support to would-be terrorists before their plans can even begin coming together.

Arkansas, Louisiana, and Kansas have all enacted similar measures with near unanimous, bi-partisan support.   In April, Tennessee voted on an identical bill, with its Legislature voting 87-3 in its House (April 21st) and 31-0 in its Senate (April 22nd).  On April 22nd, the NC House passed HB371 by a vote of 115-0, sending it to the Senate.  Unlike Tennessee, whose Senate passed the bill the very next day, North Carolina’s Senate sent the bill to the Committee on Rules and Operations of the Senate on April 23rd… It is STILL sitting in this committee (along with hundreds of other bills).  With the state budget commanding so much time, this awesome bill may simply languish in this committee until the end of the session, dying through neglect.  

Here’s what YOU need to do to ensure this bill gets to the Senate floor, where it will likely pass unanimously (or close thereto).  Email or call your personal senator (mine is Wesley Meredith, who also happens to be on this committee) and tell them to encourage Senator Apodaca to put HB371 up for a vote.  From previous experience, a call could take less than a minute if you don’t like to talk much.  (I just called and talked to Laura at Senator Apodaca’s office.  She was very nice and said she’d pass my thoughts to the Senator - the call was less than a minute.  The call to Senator Meredith’s office was equally friendly - and I prefer emails over calls)  THEN, email or call Senator Apodaca and let him know we want this bill sent to the floor for a vote.  As always, be polite and friendly.  Please pass this word along to your friends and like-minded groups (Like the Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association (http://cctaxpayers.com) in New Bern, NC (more on this specific group in #4)).

If you need inspiration for an email, here is what I sent to Senator Apodaca (The text was then modified to fit the roll of the other committee members-I also updated it this afternoon with information I acquired from Representative Christ Whitmire, the bill’s author).  All you need to do is change the first sentence of the 2nd paragraph and replace my name and you are ready to send:

Senator Apodaca,

As the Senate Rules Committe Chairman, I ask you to help H371 (Terror Claims/Damages/Liability for Support) “Andy’s Law" push through your committee to the Senate floor quickly.  I realize you have many bills to consider in your committee, but this bill makes an important statement for North Carolina.

As a retired Army Intelligence Chief Warrant Officer, who served five and a half years in “Hostile Fire Zones,” this is a very personal matter to me.  H371 strengthens North Carolina’s anti-terrorism laws and provides added compensation for those affected by terror acts.  Who knows, this bill’s passage may just make someone decide against conducting an attack in our state - every tool available to us must be used to protect our citizens.

This same legislation has already become law in Arkansas, Kansas, and Louisiana.  In Tennessee, the House and Senate passed the legislation this April 87-3 and 31-0 in two days.  Let’s keep the trend going and pass it here in our state!

Respectfully, 

Keith Davis
CW4(R), US Army
Fayetteville, NC